Reflection

My life has changed a lot in 2011. I first got involved with the Greens in early 2010 but my love for politics has really grown over the past year. I spent high school volunteering with every environmental and human rights NGO in the area, i was on the local council sub-committee, SRC, I went to nationals for public speaking but I never got involved with politics. My dad, who is quite involved with politics, never wanted me to join 'Young Anything' he always told me i shouldn't join a party while i was still developing my political views. Once I got to University and started taking politics with my environmental science degree I was suddenly in a place where i felt comfortable enough with my political thinking to join a party. Also being away from home made me feel comfortable to join one that was polar opposite to my father's (that was a fun convo).

In 2011 I got really involved with the state election, and then just as i was hooked this amazing thing happened- Wollongong City Council elections. I became completely obsessed at this point! every Thursday was focused around meetings and not a day went by where I didn't spend most of the day doing things for the election. The day was amazing and the feeling of being a part of a campaign that resulted in the first two Greens councillors on WCC can not be described by words.

What came next? well a month after local elections came student elections. Ok, Ok i know student elections may not be the most important thing in the world but for a week or two there to me they were. Matt Greiss and myself became so ridiculously caught up in the student election you would swear we were from USYD. The ticket we produced for the student elections was really something phenomenal, all activists, all independents and all people who weren't involved in the absolute mess of the 2011 council (besides myself of course =P). The election broke UOW records with the most votes recorded, and our ticket gained a majority on council! Unfortunately i didn't get elected as President but i got a General Representative position and the council looks as though it may finally be productive.

So while all this was happening I also interned for Lee Rhiannon. What can I say other than that she is completely incredible!! The experience was priceless and i learnt so much from her and all her staff. I am so proud to be a member of party full of such passionate and dedicated people. The other thing i learnt was that I really do LOVE politics, it's what i want to do with my life.

In early November I went to Perth for the Greens National Conference. I was lucky enough to be supported financially by the party with a youth subsidy. My first day in Freemantle, my first time at national conference and my 20th birthday all fell on November 4th 2011. It was a perfect way to spend my birthday really but I maybe should have gone a little easier on the alcohol.....

After exams finished, I moved home and a week later got on a bus down to Eden. Eden is a beautiful little town, perfect place for a holiday. Unfortunately that's not why i was there, not even close. I took a two week crash course in field geology. The reason? six credit points in two weeks!! My day consisted of 8-6 field work, dinner and then writing a field report until around 2am that would be due the next morning. On a positive note the 3 guys i stayed with - Dougie, Harry and Tom were a lot of fun, truly great guys!!

So after that i headed to Jack Newton Celebrity Classic. My dad has friends involved in the event so i've been going for a while now. Highlights included meeting Darren Middleton and visiting wineries with friends. Lowlights include drunkenly locking myself out of phone (yet to be fixed). I then went straight from there to country South Australia for Christmas with family....

2012- here's hoping....

Knuckle down with the 2012 WUSA council and save student representation at UOW from it's impending doom!
Concentrate on the last year of my science degree and get into honours
Have fun living on my own in my last year of being an unemployed uni student
Get GR elected to 2013 with majority, again
help out in local elections in another city